A lithium-ion battery is a member of a family of rechargeable battery types in which lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode during discharge and back when charging. Lithium-ion batteries use an intercalated lithium compound as the electrode material.
Chemistry, performance, cost and safety characteristics vary across lithium-ion battery types. Handheld electronics tend to use lithium-ion batteries based on lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), which offers high energy density, but can present safety risks. Other examples are lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium manganese oxide (LMO) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) batteries, which offer lower energy density but longer lives and better inherent safety in general. Such batteries are widely used for electric tools, medical equipment and other roles. LFP, NMC and LMO cathode-based lithium-ion batteries are leading contenders for automotive applications.
During manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, once assembly of the battery is complete, an initial charging process, referred to as a “formation process”, is performed. This formation process provides the first full charge of a lithium-ion battery, and activates the cells before the battery can be used.